Official name
Republic of Macedonia
Population
2,055,915 (2007 estimate)
Area
25,713 sq km
Capital
Skopje 515,419 (2004 estimate)
Population growth rate
0.26 percent (2006 estimate)
GDP per capita (U.S. $)
$8,300 (2006)
GDP by economic sector
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 13.2 percent (2004) Industry 27.8 percent (2004)
Services 58.9 percent (2004)
Natural resources
Low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromate, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
Languages
Macedonian 66.5%
Albanian 25.2%
Turkish 3.5%
Serbian 1.2%
Other 2.2% (2002.census)
Religious affiliations
Macedonian Orthodox Christian 64.2%
Islam 33.3%
Other and unspecified 2.5% (2002)
Introduction
Republic of Macedonia (Macedonian: Republika Makedonija), is a landlocked country placed in southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Macedonia is bordering Serbia at north, Bulgaria at east, Greece at south and Albania on the west. A former constituent republic of Yugoslavia, it declared its independence in November 1991. After independence, the country, whose government calls it the Republic of Macedonia, became involved in a dispute with Greece over its name and other issues. In April 1993 the United Nations (UN) admitted the republic under the temporary name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) until a settlement with Greece could be reached.
According to the 2002. census the ethnic groups consists of: Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% .
Macedonian topography is characterized by central Vardar river valley, and deep basins surrounded by mountain ranges. Macedonian lake Ohrid, considered one of the oldest in Europe (probably somewhere up to 5 million years), with around 200 endemic fauna species, and many of them being rare and threatened species, has been put at UNESCO’s World Heritage list, in 1979.
History
First trace of settlements within this region dating from 4th century B.C. was the Thraco-Illyrian kingdom Paionia. According to the records Paionia was soon defeated by Macedonians led by Alexander the Great, who spread his power and dominance throughout the kingdom. Even after several invasions, Paionia lived autonomously, until arrival of the Romans. It was divided between two Roman provinces, and by 5th century Paionians lost their identity.
In the 6th century this region has been invaded by Slavic tribes, forcing other ethnical groups to retrieve. Slavic tribes soon acknowledged Byzantine authority, but stayed practically independent. They accepted Christianity in 9th century. During 11th and 12th century, Macedonian region went back and forth being under either Bulgarian empire or Byzantine, until it became part of Serbian empire, in 14th century. However, by the end of medieval era, the entire Balkan region fell under rising power from the east – the Ottoman Empire.
Macedonia traveled a long way, from national movements for independence, at the beginning of 19th century, through Balkan wars (1912-1913), to part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Kingdom of Yugoslavia, to post Second World War - People’s Republic of Macedonia, as a part of SFRJ (Socialistic Federal Republic of Yugoslavia).
In 1991. Republic of Macedonia peacefully left SFRJ, becoming independent as Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
In 2004, the Republic of Macedonia was reorganized into 85 municipalities, 10 of which comprise Greater Skopje city with surrounding suburbia).
Environmental Issues
Macedonia has environmental problems typical of the region, including air and water pollution—especially around Skopje—and disappearing forests. Of particular concern is air pollution from metallurgical plants.
Major polluters of surface and ground waters are households’ and industrial sewage systems, while in agricultural areas polluters are livestock waste from farms and farming industry (milk and meat industry, slaughterhouses, etc.). Waters are directly discharged without any treatment. Zinc, lead and cadmium are recorded in Vardar River, downstream from smelter facilities. Cadmium was found in several other rivers, to concentrations above the norm, as well as phosphorus and nitrates.
Chemical industry, leather production, food production and metallurgic industry are all severe polluters of the water, among them most dangerous being copper mine and metal resurfacing factory.
Existing data on air pollution and gas emissions are incoherent and fragmented. However, due to decline of industrial production from early 1990s, the emission of pollutants has decreased by 50%, according to the State Agency for statistics, and has not rise significantly ever since. Industry is, nevertheless, major air polluter, with significant environmental pressure originating from metallurgic sector.
Thermal power plants provide Macedonia with 80% of its energy demands, while rest is being covered from hydro-electric plants production.
About 50% of the state territory is agricultural land. Use of pesticides and reports on its proportions are scarce, although existing reports show that pesticide use significantly dropped since mid 1980s over ten years (form 2,700 tons to 659t).
Overall conclusion is that all air, water and soil are severely contaminated, when even protected lake Ohrid suffers from euthrophication, due to waste water inflow.
Climate change consequences
Reports on climate change consequences show expectations of general temperature rise, mostly in summer periods, with intensive decrease of precipitation in all seasons except winter. Ohrid and Prespa lake regions are expected to have mildest response to global changes of the climate, while alpine regions (high mountains’ altitudes) are expected to have a dramatic response. Macedonian high mountain ranges, therefore would suffer the same consequences as other mountain regions of the world, i.e. snow and ice melting and loss of alpine ecosystems biodiversity.
